The Treasures of Mexico - Holding Pattern

Coming from the remnants of 90s Britpoppers The Dentists comes the exoticly titled Treasures of Mexico with their debut album, Holding Pattern. If only the music was as exotic as their name. TTOM seem stuck in a timewarp, with melodies over 20-years-old and bland lyrics galore.

Classic albums of the 90s, such as Definitely Maybe and The Stone Roses began with unforgettable openers, but 'Dependance Day' never really catches fire. It's jangly and radio-friendly but not memorable in any way. There's just a distinct feel that we've heard all this before, with a mix of mellow tracks, slower numbers and the odd injection of mid-tempo rock.

By 'Moment of Clarity', the album has already slumped into a familiar pattern where you pretty much know this is as good as it gets, and sadly that's not good. 'Can't Do It Alone' is a rare highlight, with a delightful riff that bops along confidently with more much-needed tempo.

'We Don't Have Time for This' starts off promising enough with a garage rock vibe but waits too long to kick into gear. On 'You're So Special', leading vocalist Mark Matthews sings "If I was a betting man I would say this was a winner", but it seems Matthews is as misguided in his thoughts as his music.

If you want to remember how good the 90s were in terms of music, go listen to Oasis, Blur, Suede or Pulp, as there's nothing here to add to that collection.